What Makes a Hero : Matthew Winkler

Even if you are well versed in plot, theme, archetypes, and story it never hurts to go back to the basics and take a thousand foot view of your current project. Sometimes I can get so caught up in the overwhelming amount of detail that goes into creating a story that what helps me the most is looking back at the tried and true "Heroes Journey".

This is also a great video if you are an educator and beginning to teach your students the basics of story, and the three act structure. Obviously, The Heroes Journey is not the end all be all, and there are ways to manipulate it. But this post is all about the basics. Below I have the list of the major plot points and structure of the Heroes Journey. Enjoy, and don’t forget to leave a comment below!

1. Life in The Ordinary World

2. The Call To Adventure

3. Assistance

4. Departure

5. Trials

6. Approach

7. Battle

8. Crisis

9. Reborn

10. Treasure (reward)

11. Result

12. New Life

Danielle Cox

Danielle is a writer and printmaking artist, as well as a stop-motion filmmaker, with a degree in Art History and Printmaking from Colorado Mesa University. Prior to pursuing both of her degrees, she worked for an elementary school that provided a sensory and developmental program for kindergarten as well as those enrolled in the after-school programs.